Tilting propeller boat construction



P. F. METTAIR 79 TILTING PROPELLER BdAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1939 6 1-717 Miiazf Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT, oerics This invention relates to boats, and more particularly to means for rendering boats suitable for operation in shallow water.

One object of this invention is to provide a means for raising the propeller shaft of a boat above the surface of the bottom.

Another object is to arrange the power drive on a boat so as to take the thrust off of any universal joints.

A further object is to provide a propeller shaft which can be raised and lowered with respect to the bottom of the boat, without allowing water to get into the inside of the boat.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures;

Figure 1 is a partial transverse vertical section through a boat, incorporating features of this inventive concept.

Figure 2 is a partial plan view with parts broken away, to show the arrangement of the parts.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-section through the well, substantially on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view, substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Considering the drawing in greater detail, a small portion of a boat is shown, comprising a bottom with gunwales II and the usual transom l2. A portion of the transom I2 is cut away at M, as well as a portion of the bottom of the boat at 16, and is walled up to form a closed well. This well is completed by an angularly extending cover l8, side walls 23 and 22, and an end wall 24.

A movable bottom section of the boat 26 is movably mounted within the well and arranged to be operated from the outside of the well by a lever 28. The bottom is movably mounted within the well at one end by the pivotal connections 3D and 32 comprising bearing brackets 34 secured to the side wall of the well, and bracket arms 36 secured to the bottom. The opposite end of the movable bottom section 26 is likewise controllably secured within the well. A metal plate 40, with side flanges 42 and 44, is secured to the false bottom, and the flanges are provided with elongated slots as at 46.

A U-shaped operating member or crank lever 50 comprising a crank arm which terminates as a horizontally extending rearward-1y offset transverse crank portion 52 which extends through the elongated slots in the'bracket elements, with the legs of the U extending upwardly and into bearing rings 54 at opposite sides of the well to provide a pivot through said well. The lever 28comprising a crank handle is connected to the U-shapecl member and is so arranged that the parts may be moved from the full-line position of Figure 1 to an intermediate position or completely up into the dotted-line position of Figure 1, in which position the propeller 5B and strut 58 are completely within the well so as to preclude any possible damage in shallow water.

With the parts in full-line position, the U- shaped member 52 is locked under the hooked bracket 60 to hold the parts in position. This hooked member is secured at 62 to a flange 64, extending around the edge of the well.

The bearing shaft 50 carries a cam 54, which rests against a yieldable arm 66 pivoted at 68 on the outer wall of the well, and biased by means of the spring 10 upwardly. With the lever in one extreme position, the cam E34 is in the position shown in Figure 4, and the parts in the full-line position of Figure 1, whereas in the other extreme position, the cam would be at the opposite side of the ridge 66 with the parts in the dotted-line position of Figure 1.

The propeller shaft 12 extends through a sleeve bearing 74 secured to the movable bottom of the boat, and continues through a packing gland 16 in the front wall of the well. A universal joint 18 is arranged to connect the different parts of the propeller shaft, and a sleeve coupling is provided to compensate for any differences in center between the parts of the propeller shaft and universal joint and the movable bottom axis at 30.

A thrust bearing 82 is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear strut so as to take care of any propeller thrust and remove the same from the universal joint.

A careful consideration of the figures reveals the marked utility of the present construction, wherein the propeller shaft may be raised and lowered without having to move the weight of the engine; all thrust is taken off of the universal hearing so that it can operate efficiently and have long life; a thrust bearing is appropriately mounted at some point with respect to the propeller shaft so as to absorb all of the thrust load of the propeller shaft, and may be located directly on the bottom of the movable section or on the sleeve bearing 14, or at some other suit.

hinged at one end to the boat bottom for swing: ing movements into and out of the well and adapted to normally close the opening inthe botmeans for cooperation with said handle to lock the crank member in raised and lowered positions.

2. In a boat propeller, the combination with a boat having an opening in its bottom, a well surmounting the opening, and a bottom section hinged at one end to the boat bottom for swinging' movements into and out of the well and adapted to normally close the opening in the bottom, a propeller having a shaft ection extending through and journaled in the movable bottom section and pivoted to swing upwardly and downwardly therewith, a bracket plate secured to the movable bottom section and provided with upstanding flanges formed with longitudinal tom, a propeller having a shaft section extending.

through and journaled in the movable'bottom section and pivoted to swing upwardly'ancl down i' wardly therewith, a bracket plate secured to the movable bottom section and provided with upstanding flanges formed with longitudinal slots, a U-shaped crank member comprising side legs having bearing arms at their upper ends pivotally mounted in the sides of the well and a cross portion uniting said side legs at their lower ends and offset. at an angle thereto to form a crank portion engaging the slots in the bracket flanges,

whereby the crank member is adapted to be rocked upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower the movable bottom section and propeller, 1

one of the arms of the crank member being extended to form an operating handle, and locking slots, a U-shaped crank member comprising side "legs having bearing arms at their upper ends pivotally mounted in the sides of the well and a cross portion uniting said side legs at their lower-ends and offset at an angle thereto to form a crank portion engaging the slots in the bracket flanges, whereby the crank member is adapted to be rocked upwardly and downwardly to raise and lower the movable bottom section and propeller, one of the arms of the crank member being extended to form an operating handle, a locking cam carried by said handle, and a spring-actuated locking bar having a locking projection over which the cam is adapted to ride for engagement with the bar at opposite sides of said projection to respectively lock the crank member in raised and lowered positions.

PAUL F. METTAIR. 

